Thanks for reviews and comparisons of the boards. I’m a Rockaway guy as well. I’ve been surfing a 6’10 Smooth Operator for 4 years now. I surf it as a single or a quad and I absolutely love it. Lots of glide and it turns off the tail.
Great topic and fantastic title! Although I ride smaller boards and longboards, my mid length has proven to be the best all around board for the regular wind slop at our local break.
Thank you, Huw. The 6'8" Seaside and Beyond was used to be my step-up in the past. Now, I would consider CI Twin Pin as a great step up board. The review is coming next week.. Cheers!
Great review, Skipper! I ordered 6'8" Seaside&Beyond two weeks ago after I watched it. I tested it today in 1-3 ft range with semi clean conditions. It's one of the best midlengths I've ridden, so fun! I don't need to shortboard anymore. LOL. Keep up the good work!
FireWire Sunday 6’8 think wd do good for just knee high only waves ?? Or there’s something better out there , pretty much exact size as u , and consider inter begnr surfer
@@sntfabrication yes, that would work fine but it depends on how comfortable you are on shorter boards. If you surf longboards, then going down straight to 6'8" will be very challenging. The board is not that stable compared to the Seaside and Beyond for instance. I personally would prefer to surf a mid length glider like 7'8-7'10" ThickLizzy or Trimcraft Haley Pin to maximize wave count and extend the ride. If I wanna do more turns then I usually grab my 5'2" Mini Simmons by Hydrodynamica which fits perfectly in the pocket. After riding 5'9" Sunday for a while, I love it more than the mid length Sunday 7'0". Hope this helps!
I just bought a 6'8 Sunday, using the RM twin keels and it is awesome! I have been able to do late drops at trestles. But yes the board prefers to get in early. Great videos Yuri! Keep it up!
Hey Alex! Glad you like it! Thanks for sharing it. I figured out the shorter you go, the easier it will be to make late drops on it. Ugh, missing Trestles! Cheers!
@@pabs4542 Hey Pabs, sorry for the delay. I didn't see it. I use 7' True Ames single fin. I didn't use side bites.. You can if it's really big.. for 3-5 ft, the Single Fin does it's job.
@@SkipperSurfReview no worries and ty for the reply. I only tested mine with a 6"5 and side bits that are actually rear quads, head size and overall happy with it. Lol I'm sure I need to get a bigger fin to use it as a single, maybe a 7"5 and no sides?
Great video Skip, thanks for the advice will be looking to buy a mid length so your vids are really helping me narrow it down. Found the audio was a bit quiet mind mate - had to listen on full volume 😀
Try the smooth operator with the fcs2 matt biolos split keels. That's my go to set up. It has a ton of drive and control. You can push super hard on turns and draw huge lines.
Thanks, this video will help alot of folks narrow their board choice. I just put a 7'0 Sunday on hold at a surf shop yesterday! I'm coming down from a 67 liter 9'0 performance longboard. I wanted something that has more turning but still can paddle well with lots of glide. My biggest problem is I live in Arizona and come out to surf every 2-3 months, so I rarely surf a swell. Usually its mushy and weak. So I thought the extra volume would be better for 1-3 ft. But now your video has me wondering if I should have picked a different board?
Hey J.Duke! Thanks for watching. I wouldn't consider Sunday as a good transitioning board from a longboard down to mid length. However I would suggest to look into 7'4" Seaside and Beyond (LFT). My friend stepped down from 8'8" CI Water Hog and he loves it so far. If it's not available then see if you can find one in Timbertek technology in size 7'2". Hope this helps!
@@charleshawk6668 Definitely. It’s less forgiving than the Seaside and Beyond. However it has shorter response time in the water due to Helium technology.
Next, try a Christenson C-Bucket or Flat Tracker and a Takayama Howard Mini! What's a couple grand more in surfboards? Lol. Seriously though, thanks for shelling out the cash for it. It really helps us figure out what type of midlength would work for our type of surfing.
Had a Donald shaped 7'2", I believe the predecessor to the Howard Mini. A perfect beginner's groveler board that paddled and caught waves so easy and was super forgiving and nearly impossible to fall. The pinched rails and flat rocker are just a dream in small mushy surf. They were also a huge liability when the waves got punchier and bigger. I hated to give it up, but it was just too low performance with no ability to go vertical. Been eyeing a C-Bucket to fill that quiver gap.
@@mootrail9487 definitely recommend a c bucket, glides like a dream in the mush and gets In early on bigger days. I’ve got a 6’10 and I keep choosing to surf it over other boards in the quiver
Love these honest reviews. I have a Howard Special Mini 7’4 and I can say that it matches Howard’s description “not the fastest board..”. It handles well shaped waves up to and including overhead, and does exactly what you tell it. This means it relies on the surfer to add speed, and doesn’t have lots of glide. This is due to the v in the tail, tail foil, and tail profile. I have not tried a ci mid, but I would expect it to want to keep moving all the time.
I love your channel and all then board comparisons. I have a 6' Seaside that I really like. I have numerous midlengths most are from 50 -54 liters in volume and I am 205 pounds. I have been thinking about ordering a custom SS&B 7'6" but in LFT at 59 liters. Maybe i am missing out some gide by not going higher in liters? any thoughts on midlenght volume based on weight and wave size? Thanks!
Hey Sam! Thank you for your feedback. Well, it all comes down to your level of surfing and what you prefer to do on a wave. If you go custom, may be you would want to go straight to Rob Machado Surfboards and order it in PU blank or EPS. They do an outstanding glass job and at the end you will get a lot of glide especially if you go with PU blank. Just as a starting point, my friend is 37 years old, height: 5'11", weight: between 185-200 lbs, pro beginner level surfer / advanced beginner. He's got a custom Seaside and Beyond in PU blank with the dimensions: 7’2” x 21 1/4 x 2 3/4 (the volume is around 46-48 L) He loves it and he wouldn't go any bigger. Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions. Cheers!
Good stuff as always, Yuri! For the smooth operator, Matt Biolos mentioned he made it for a quad fin set up and is for for pumping and drawing horizontal & almost vertical lines. So I think it’s made more for active riding than pure glide. I can definitely see how a thruster would be too stiff and tracky. It works well single fin too - good drive but can still turn on a dime because of the pintail. The side bites will give too much hold. You can suggest to your buddy to try out the Mayhem FCS Split Keels - they really liven up the board!
I recently added a 7'0 smooth operator to my quiver. So far have only ridden it as a quad. Find it really quick and turns great. In a review by MB he suggested running it as a twin. Gonna try it with some large MR's and maybe a trailer next.
@@SkipperSurfReview sure. 6ft 85kg. Works fine in small surf and can definitely get it going rail to rail down the line when needed. Have also had it out on a few good days and it handled well.
Super helpful video! I’ve got a seaside and beyond 6’8” and agree it’s definitely the most maneuverable mid length I’ve ever ridden. people are always surprised when they find out it’s only 40’ liters. I’ve also gotten to surf a Sunday, I believe it was 7’3”. It’s got tons of glide, but I was not a fan of how it felt. I think I’d enjoy it a lot more as a twinny short board. Curious if anyone has been on a shorter Sunday? How’s it feel? Anyways, thanks for sharing all the insight!
Thank you, Zachary. My buddy got my 6'8" SSB and became over addicted to it. It spoiled him so much! LOL I heard the 6'0" Sunday is fun as a twin fin. I didn't try it. I may switch to a shorter version later this year :) So far, I have plenty of new toys to enjoy! Have you tried to ride 6'8" SSB as a twinny?
@@SkipperSurfReview Thanks for all the great reviews! I’m 205 lb and stepping down from a 9’6” longboard. My skill level is mediocre/intermediate :) I’m strongly leaning toward a SSB (looking for a board I can use in smaller waves and start to improve on turns). Thoughts about 7’0 vs 7’4 for my size? Or consider different board altogether for first mid-length? I’m looking to maximize waves caught and grins :) Thx!
@@darrenkeele4476 Hi Darren! Thanks for watching. Well, the 9’6” longboard is likely over 90 liters of volume and if you go down straight to SSB 7’4” with 50L that will be difficult to adjust. As a transition from a big board like that, I’d recommend going with the 7’6” Seaside and Beyond in Timbertek construction which comes at 60 Liters of volume plus its a bit wider to give you a good stability. Once you get used to that size and less volume, then you can downsize it to 7’2 or 7’0”. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
@@SkipperSurfReview I haven’t tried it as a twin yet. The one I was able to get at our shop was in FCS and all my other keel/twin fins are in futures. Maybe one of these days I’ll pop those two little guys off the back. I like the quad though, especially backhand. I use those same Machado quads in a FireWire twice baked, super fun in that guy too. Too many boards and not enough time! Cheers man, looking forward to your next vids.
Great review mate, didn't know you had the smooth operator to compare too that's awesome. Side fins look big on that one you would probably like it in a 7'0" Real watersports have a couple of good reviews and some fin set up review. My mate has a 7 and rides it quad and 2 plus one. Maybe try the fins out of your ci mid in it sometime. Thanks for the great comparison review. I keep looking at seaside and beyond and ci mid even though I mad boards very similar myself lol Temptation of the surf shops.
What's up mate.. Thank you!!! This was my friend's Smooth Operator who gave it to me to try for a few waves. It seems like most people run it as a quad and like it. So, I will tell my friend to try it this way and see if it works better. Are you thinking of getting Seaside and Beyond or CI Mid? :) Go for the SSB haha.
@@SkipperSurfReview Hey Skip ;-) Yeah I have been eyeing a few things up and my own Fish is very similar to the SSB and from everything I hear i'm really tempted to get the real deal lol But mine goes really well. I was eying up the GJ Nelson Outlier too as considering trying something in an 8ft ish.. If it's a mid I like to either be able to duck dive it (so around 7' and 50L max) but could consider going right up so 8'0" and 60Litres would be ok for that.. I looked at these and the Ingleby Moe at the weekend and also like the look of the Moe the 8ft would be like a short chunky longboard that's not going to be held back by carrying unnecessary nose riding features in the design plus it's quad and slider box... Then I see my mate has advertised his 7'2" Seaxe so I ended up buying that.. I'm keen to know how something with a Hull goes but a bit timid to go full hull so that at second hand prices seemed like a good starting point.. I like the outline and volume and that's also slider and quad so yeah will see how that goes. It's probably most like a ci on the bottom but outline a bit less eggy and really refined rails and tail the CI is actually quite a full rail but not a wide board... Soooooomany choices. Anyways that one is me for now and will go from there. Coming back from an injury so on a bigger board for a bit anyways. Keep well my friend and keep up teh good work Reviews keep getting better and better. Cheers.
@@lawson45uk Wow! Thank you for a very informative comment. Glad you are getting back into the water. You really know what you exactly want from the board in terms of outline/shape/bottom contours and I feel like I will get there at some point in my life. As of now, I mostly look for something that would make surfing easier and fun at my local beach break with inconsistent surf. Cheers, mate!
@@SkipperSurfReview Ah no i'm definitely still learning a lot and unsure of many things too. the more modern concaves and down rails I have a good idea on the stuff that's more retro inspired like hull bottoms and some of the more crazy rail shapes i'm still trying to learn.. You have been able to try lots of great boards and having chats with guys like Matt from Album you will pick up even more those sorts of guys are amazing with their knowlege and understanding
@@lawson45uk I wish we had good waves all the time (2-3 times a week) at least 3 ft clean conditions. This would definitely speed up the learning process not just surfing but how the small change in the bottom counters affect the performance.
Great vids Skip! Keep them coming! I’m a NJ surfer with a limited (Short board only) quiver! I’m looking at getting a Mid length or Groveler for the crappier surf days. (Ie. Seaside & Beyond -v- Baked Potato). Any thoughts / recommendations? Cheers!
Hi Conor! You can't really go wrong with the Seaside and Beyond which has the closest feel to surfing a shortboard. But if you are looking for more glide & cruisy vibe with the ability to do turns, cutbacks here and there then I would highly recommend checking out Haley Pin by Trimcraft or ThickLizzy by Ryan Lovelace. It's the same model but different name & shaper. I believe Glidesurf Co still has a few Haley Pin's in stock. I'm finishing up review on ThickLizzy this week and should be available by next week. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions. You can also HMU on Instagram.
Nice review! It's helpful and may save people money. I'm in love with my Seaside&Beyond but I feel like I already hit the limits and I want to move to something else... Have you seen JS Big Baron?
got a Smooth Operator in 7.2 and is definitely one of the best feeling boards I ever had. I use a 2+1 fin set up and it`s a board which is probably best at nice point breaks, from at least chest to head high up to as big as you dare. it`s not made for small or mushy stuff, but once the waves get cleaner, bigger and better it kicks ass.
Hey Rainer! I can imagine how good it would go as most mid lengths do work better once the size goes over shoulder high. It definitely felt like this board is made for bigger waves. However I feel like the shorter version like 6’8” could work much better in smaller waves especially as a quad. Thank you for your input🙌🏻 Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview yeah defo, I also got a 6.8 seaside & beyond and love it, but with most of these boards I feel they work best in specific conditions and are hardly a one-board-quiver.
Most accurate review of the smooth operator on this thread. My go-to board. Twinnie is most fun bc it’s sooo much quicker. Then I go quad on head high+ for that added stability. Great video! Very tempted to go album next. Especially after mason and coco loved theirs in the electric acid surfboard test
Wanted to weigh in , I picked up a 7’4” smooth operator. Rode it today in shoulder plus waves as a quad. Board is very fun, catches waves easily and turns well. I’m a bigger guy (200 lbs) and ride bigger boards, and LBs in east coast beach breaks. I’m impressed with the smooth operator, looking forward to getting some more surf Sunday
Great reviews I've got a smooth operator only surfed it once as a quad turned nice and very fast down the line. Have you surfed a cj Nelson outlier ? I bought one and find it really prone to pearling, maybe you could review one ? Was just about to buy a Sunday so ill hold off thanks for the video
Hi Steven! Thank you for the feedback. I haven't ridden one. May be you just need to change something in terms of positioning and paddle more sideways. If you can get a footage of your surfing and send it to me, I'd be happy to analyze it. Hit me up on IG to share it. If I see one second hand, I will probably grab it for review :) Cheers!
For those still struggling with which one to choose - I am same height and weight as skipper. I have the CI-Mid 6’10. I would say at 70kgs this is plenty of board. In fact I would probably go 6’8 now that i am used to it. I find it will take steeper take offs and I can paddle into almost anything, even sit out close to those on Long Boards. I am really surprised at its versatility.. That said I would like to try the Rob M Seaside one also .
Thanks for chiming in🙏🏼 I think the more important part is the level of surfing. For advanced beginners I’d still aim for 7’0”. If you try the 6’8” Seaside and Beyond in LFT you wouldn’t want to go back to CI Mid🙈🙈🙈 Happy New Year John🤙🏼
@@SkipperSurfReview I really like the look of that one also - and you are right when you discuss the size of waves.. The CI-Mid does do better in the bigger stuff than the 1-3 foot range and I think Devon H would agree with that when he talks about it
@@Johnburkex78 Yes, he does.. He also recently did a podcast with Surfmastery "Mid-length crash course".. It's very interesting and I would highly recommend checking it out. Here is a link: surfmastery.com/podcast/70devonhoward
Great review! I’m also considering the Album Townsend asym or the Chilli Mid Strength along with the Seaside & Beyond. Have you tried or heard much about those other two?
Thank you! My friend (~45 years old, 190 lbs, advanced beginner) just got Album Townsend asym (goofy) a few weeks ago. I believe it's 7'2". He loves it. I saw him flying down the line and doing turns pretty easy. If you can wait for a custom one, then I would suggest getting the Townsend Asym. I believe Matt Parker surfs one and it's treating him well. I haven't heard anything about Chilli Mid Strength but it looks like a more high performance mid length.
@@SkipperSurfReview awesome! I’ve already got a 5’11” custom twinsman on order, had been thinking of the sunstone too… now I have to decide between a 6’8” seaside & beyond or a 6’10” asym Townsend I think!
Hi Michael! Thanks for watching! I've already done the review on CI Mid. I fondled Pyzel Mid a few weeks ago at the surf shop. Tbh, I wasn't really impressed with the design and quality that would justify $1300 price tag. It's just my opinion. I would rather go custom with Rob Machado Surfboards, Ryan Lovelace or Album. Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview I did see your maid review and enjoyed it it was very informative but as you could see Is the paizelle midlife crisis model model it's pretty Unique and I hope you will give it a try in the future looking forward as usual to your next board review
@@michaelsweeney4975 Hey Mike! I've just got Pyzel Mid Length Crisi... Will do review soon as soon as we get some waves! I took it out on small day and it worked ok-ish but it feels like it needs a bigger wave to move it better :) Stay tuned!
i've been riding midlength for the last 5 years and i think fins make such a big difference. Like you mentioned I would try the Smooth Operator as a Twin, i have a similar board, by a local shaper that only came alive (for me) once i put a MR twin set in (with trailer). You need to try a midlength Bonzer and report back to us :), i'm still on the fence on those.
I didn’t get a chance to try it yet. The waves haven’t been good. The last hurricane swell was a skunk for my backyard. I’m interested in bonzers, never tried it before. I’ll look into it😜 MR twin fin set is DOPE! Thank you for the recommendations!
I didn’t get a chance yet. I have a buddy in NEw Jersey who got Mid6 and he loves it so far. It’s been really flat lately and I didn’t get a chance to link up with him to try it😁 I’ll report back when it happens. Cheers!
Time to buy some lavelier mics for the audio I suggest the Rhode Wireless Go very cost effective and your audio will improve like crazy! It'll cut the wind and background noise without too much effort
Thank you, Ed. I’ve been trying different mics but for some reason don’t have good luck. Sometimes they don’t work properly even I test it prior to recording. We’ve got one wired Rhode mic for the camera but I’ll definitely try to get the one you mentioned to get better audio from a distance. Thanks again🙏🏼 Much appreciated 🙌🏻
Thank you for this video! I am a fairly new surfer 2yrs / I am comfortable catching rockaway waves on an 8’ 6 hard top board and want to progress to a mid length. Your review of the album plasmic seems perfect for me but seems like they do not make this anymore / would you have another suggestion? I’m 6’2 165 lbs / thanks for your content
Hey Justin! Thanks for watching. Most Album Surfboards need to go custom if you want to get that in certain size etc. I would recommend checking out Lovemachine ThickLizzy in size 7’10” to properly step down from 8’6”. You can find/order one at Glide Surf Shop down in NJ @glidesurfco That’s definitely gonna improve your surfing and wave count here in Rockaway. Check out my recent videos and review on it with Ryan. ruclips.net/video/bnPJBazaHyM/видео.html ruclips.net/video/Kmzu0A-d9Dw/видео.html
Thanks for watching Stephen! To be honest, I’m not really into that. It seems that it turned into NSP kinda vibe. I’m sure the board will be fun to ride.
@@SkipperSurfReviewthanks nfor getting back. Since I wrote that, I read quite a lot about Tuflite boards struggling on windy days, which is the norm here in the UK, so I am looking at other options now. Which is your go-to mid length now, out of curiosity? Thanks again👍👍
@@StephenBeale So, in the past month or so, I've been playing with Ryan Lovelace ThickLizzy or it's also called Haley Pin by Trimcraft Surfboards. The board goes so well in chop/wind/whatever. It's packed with glide to the max. It's not as high performance boards as the Seaside and Beyond for instance but you can still do good turns/floaters on it. I like it much more than CI Mid which definitely needs a bigger wave (3+ ft) to make a turn. ThickLizzy feels much less in the water than it's actual length. I recently did full review on it and if you are interested please check it out. I think it would suit you so well in UK to catch a lot of waves despite the conditions, especially weak ones from the windswells. Cheers!
Which mid length would you recommend to improve your surfing? Ive been on a 52L 6'8" for the last year and just trying to work some turns now. I feel the Seaside and Beyond might be the one... I m a similar size as well, just a bit heavier
Hey Joel! If you want to get the closest feel to a shortboard then JS Big Baron will be the one. It's a twin fin, really fast, fast paddler, turns really quick and it doesn't give you a corky feel at all. However the deck has got a very thin glassing, so the foot impressions are pretty bad. I recently uploaded a full review on it to my channel. The Seaside and Beyond (only LFT) can be a great choice for overall experience if you are still transitioning from beginner to intermediate level. It will fix more mistakes than JS Big Baron though. If you have time (12-16weeks) and patience, you could go custom on Album Plasmic in size 6'8". If you are looking for more cruisy vibe with the ability to do turns here and there, than the Haley Pin by Trimcraft surfboards or Ryan Lovelace ThickLizzy will work pretty good. I would only consider the size 7'8-7'10". There is also CI Mid in that wheelhouse. It just all depends on your preferences.. handshaped or CNC :) Let me know if you have any questions! Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview Amazing! Thanks for that, some great options there. One thing I like is to keep it under 7" so I can throw it in the car, thanks for the reply!
Need your opinion, I was planning on getting a custom board same size just a tad thinner 6'10 x 20 7/8 x 2 5/16 as a dedicated twin..I wanted the same bottom contours, double barrel concave but with V in the tail.. Or should I just get the CI twin pin in that size? Thoughts??THANKS
@@kdenbeaches808 The Twin Pin won't have that glide and projection as the CI Mid though. I personally wouldn't go in the same size. For instance, I would have CI Mid in size 7'0" as a middy/cruisy board and Twin Pin in size 6'1" for 3ft+ days. In case you don't want to stick with CI in particular, then I would suggest checking out JS Big Baron. I got one in size 6'8". This is by far the best twin fin/mid length board I'ver ever had. I was planning on doing the review on it but I got sick with COVID and had other things to deal with, so all the reviews got postponed. I'm hoping I can finish it up this week and release it by next Monday or so.
@@SkipperSurfReview funny you mentioned that big baron, my cousin recommended it as well.. how's it surf and the glide compare to the CI MID? I absolutely love the glide on my CI MID, so they have it in PU? I like my PU boards.
@@kdenbeaches808 It's a solid high performance mid with a great glide and the ability to turn on a dime. CI Mid will have better projection dow the line when it's windy. I'm so impressed! Hope this helps!
Hey, I'm looking at buying a CI mid. Surf conditions would be similar to what you were surfing in this video. I'm 75kgs, and somewhere between beginner surfer and intermediate. I was told to go 6'10 but what size would you recommended? Thanks mate. Awesome video.
Hey James! If you have better waves, than you would be ok with the 6’10” but for for windy, weak & crappy days, I would go with the 7’0” if you want to cruise down the line longer and take advantage of the proper mid length size😁
I'm 6'6" 215 (98 kg) and ride the CI MID in a 7'10". I could have gone with the 7'6" and been just as happy, but I'm stoked with this board. Effortless paddle, fast and smooth. As I get older a little extra volume and length helps keep me catching waves and happy. If you do pull the trigger on one, I'd go one size up from what your gut says. Best wishes!
I’ve been watching a lot of videos on mid length surfboards and urs was the most complete so thank you for this video. I’m really digging CI mid as you said it’s an all round board and toying between getting a 7.0 or 6.10. Wdyt? I’m 178cm (5ft10) and 75kg. I’ve been surfing for 2 years and wouldn’t consider myself too advance but I was surfing a 6.8 hybrid fish 45L before and can catch waves and go down the line. Lemme know what you think
Hey Mikey! Thanks for watching. If you think you will be surfing good waves meaning 3ft + then you can easily go for the 6'10" but if you want to cover smaller conditions like in my first review of CI Mid, then I would go for the 7'0" ruclips.net/video/zY9KzhTSBGw/видео.html By the way, I will be reviewing CI Mid Twin soon. Stay tuned!
@@SkipperSurfReview wow thanks for the prompt reply brother. I’ve just subscribed to you as well. So for smaller conditions I have something like a pyzel crisis mid 8.0 and a mini mal 8.0 so I think smaller conditions I have covered. But I wanted a backup board as I cracked the 6.8 right before a surf trip and didn’t get it fixed in time. The 6.10 is 42L and 7.0 is 44L so it’s a bit of a gamble. I think following the rough rule of 12 inches bigger than your height I am going to try getting the 6.10. Lemme know if you have further thoughts. Also what fin size do you think I should use for the 2+1?
@@MikeyMoran I've tried to surf 6'8" on a 3 ft day (Point break). I didn't feel that I have any advantage to get into the waves earlier than any shortboarder out there. The 7'0" does have advantage of projecting into the waves earlier. So, if that's something you want from a mid length, then I would go with the 7'0".. It still turns well once you have a good size. 6'10" would feel slightly more responsive but you still need a wave to turn it. In terms of fin set up, I would go single fin for smaller days under 3 ft and then pop those sides bites in when it goes bigger to create more drive and hold through the turns. I had 7'0" CI Mid and it was set up with 6'5" True Ames Single fin and 3.5" side some True Ames bites. I would def go on bigger days with 2+1. Hope this helps!
Great comparison video. I was hoping to buy the Sea & Beyond, but they are out of stock and I'm heading on a surf trip to Mex, so I need to decide on another one. Is the Album still your favorite?
Hi Brent! Sorry for the late response. I was sick with Covid. It’s all good now. Album is still my favorite but I recently discovered a new model Moonstone. That’s the quiver killer for me. I haven’t done full review yet but I hope I’ll do it soon 🙌🏼 I have one in size 6’8” and if you’re around intermediate level surfer that wants to surf it as a shortboard and put it on rail then that’s the one. I hope you found a board for Mexico trip. Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview Thanks. I'll check out the Moonstone. Yeah I ended finding a used 6'10 CI Mid. So far I like it a lot. I can just duck dive it, so the size/vol is a good compromise.
Hey there I need your help as I just can't decide which mid to buy. 20yrs of surf, looking for something that can help fairly cheat crowdy days (more glide?) and still have that performance-y shortboard feel. I read tons of review but I can't really decide as I know how it works with boards and i'm afraid to waste money. I'm 80kg, 178cm looking for a cool mid to catch tons of waves and have lot of maneuverabilty. Which one do you suggest? Thank you!
Hey Giamma! I would say you can’t go wrong with CI Tri Plane Hull Single or CI Mid Twin, Seaside and Beyond quad, JS Big Baron Twin fin, Album Plasmid with the diamond tail. Hope this helps!
@@SkipperSurfReview i dont know if it dompares to anything coz its still like 10litres+ above your shortboard volume but way shorter then any typical midlength. pretty unique combintion.
Thanks for watching! It depends on what you like riding.. twin or quad. Please let me know! I recently got 6’8” JS Big Baron (twin) which has the best performance overall but you’re gonna have major foot impressions after 1-2 sessions. The glass job is kinda poor though. I love to ride twin fins these days. Album has a few models running twin like stretched out Twinsman, Plasmic as well as Darkness which considered as a proper mid length in their fleet. I’m uploading Twinsman review featuring Matt Parker. It should be available tonight/tomorrow 🤙🏼
JS BIG BARON is pu? I love to do deep bottom turn and sharp top turn however when i ride longer version of short board especially over chest height i felt board are very weak need to have more durability
Hey Simon! So, there are a lot of things get involved besides surfboard volume. I would say it's more about the size of the board and your skills. Some people can quickly adjust to a shorter length of the board and low volume. It mostly happens when the person have no issues catching waves on a longboard, he/she is comfortable making late drops with just 2-3 paddles, does quick pop up and have a good balance/strong core. If that's the case then you can go easily from 9 ft longboard down to 7' mid length and deal with 45L of volume if you are around 170 lbs 5'9-5'11" avg. But in general, I wouldn't recommend rushing down in size quickly. So, if you are on a 9ft log, then 7'10" size would probably be a good start like something similar to ThickLizzy by Ryan Lovelace (I've just uploaded review on it a few days ago). Once you dial some turns, get the flow going, start making more critical drops with 2-3 paddles then you can downsize to 7'0" or keep the 7'10" as a longboard and get 6'8" mid length (high performance one) to get more a feel of a shortboard. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
Hey brother!! Nice channel I love your videos. I’m really undecided on which size of Seaside and Beyond I should get. I’m 5’9 165 lbs intermediate level. I know you have tested both oh them. Cheers!!
Hey Vinicius! I would definitely go with the 6'8" LFT Seaside and Beyond. Btw, I recently got JS Big Baron in size 6'8" twin fin. It's pretty sick. I hope I will get the review out in the next two weeks! Cheers!
Thanks for your answer! I live 30 min away from FireWire in Carlsbad-CA and I’m gonna go there in person to order my Seaside & Beyond. I also live 45 min from Album surfboards in San Clemente. I sent them an email asking for prices and they are very expensive starting at $1350 for the Plasmic Mid length. Unfortunately too much money for me. Thanks for your reviews and keep up with the good work! 🤙🏻
@@viniciusweide4777 yeah, album surfboards are pricey. I heard the price on most boards will go up soon. Since CI opened up a vacuum for new price range on mid lengths by selling CI Mid for $1500, it's gonna affect everyone at some point to adjust their prices to that. Which size you decided to go with? My buddies have already ordered two custom Seaside and beyond's at robmachadosurfboards.com It comes in great quality. 2 months and it feels great. I'm gonna do review on 7'2" custom SSB pretty soon.
@@SkipperSurfReview hey Skipper! So do you still love your Album Plasmic Mid Length? Does the 7’2 have a good volume for you? What kind of condition do you think this board is for?I think this is your best review and your best video. I have watched it many times. The Sea Side and Beyond is sold out where a live in San Diego. I’m gonna have to wait a little or order custom online.. So I was thinking maybe to order the Album Plasmic for now. Good job Skipper. You’re somehow very inspiring! Thanks 🤙🏻
@@viniciusweide4777 Hey Vinicius! I do love it but if I had to go back, I would order it in size 6'8" x 20.5 x 2.25 to make it less bulky. I would have to sacrifice a bit for an early entrance into the waves though. However I would be able to do sharper turns easier due to shorter rail line. The 7'2" covers all conditions, since it has a good length, it glides into small waves very easy. So just in general, it all comes down to your personal preference.. You can go custom on the Seaside and Beyond @robmachadosurfboards which would take up to 2 months to complete it. I was gong to do review on 7'2" Custom Seaside and Beyond but got sick with Covid. My family just got recovered and I'm back into surfing :) Btw, check out my review on ThickLizzy by Ryan Lovelace if you are into more cruisy vibe. I love it a lot.
@@SkipperSurfReview I been surfing mostly point & beach breaks on a 8ft longboard and I'm looking for a board with a bit more performance. It would be also nice to start duck diving if the board is small enough. I have my eyes on the CI mid...but Im not soled. I'm at 167lbs/ 6ft. What size CI mid did you surf?
@@SkipperSurfReview A oke! On the website they don't seem to have it in stock in your size hence I overlooked it. Did you custom order it directly from them? I see you can actually also orde 2 + 1. Could be nice as well!
@@ruben8114 If you just keep checking the website for new models, sometimes they post Pladmids but it doesn't happen often. Last time, they were in stock a few months ago. I didn't go custom.. just ordered from the website when I saw it. Also, check used board sections, sometimes there could be some good deals. Plasmid I would only go twin fin with diamond tail. Are you looking for a board to cruise/catch more waves?
Hello where are you surfing? I was looking at the Sunday and the dominator 2.0 yesterday inHB - I’m a short boarder from Hawaii getting older 53 in California-need foam , like your review on Album platinum twin fin 🤙🏾 aloha
Hey Jason! I surf in New York, Rockaway Beach. Firewire just released new model Mashup which was designed in collab between Dan Mann and Rob Machado. I've ordered one and waiting for shipment which should happen after 2/15. Yeah, I wouldn't need much foam in Hawaii. The waves have so much power! Thanks for the support. Hope you find a fun board soon!
Agree! Yuri, you’re the same weight/height as me and 40 liters on a mid length is perfect. I can still duckdive my 40 liter 6’8” smooth operator fairly easily. Cheers and good luck!
@@whoaitsjape Cool. I may need to try one soon. 40L is a golden number for more active surfers with similar weight and height 😆 Would be cool to surf SSB and Smooth Operator in the same size and conditions. Cheers!
Great Review! I used to ride a short board but when I switched to a 8 foot long board I couldn't go back to short boarding with the high wave count. I'm looking for a mid length so I can still have a high wave count but have better performance. I turn and carve comfortably on the long board so I am looking for a high performance midlength that can ride fast down the line and make sharp turns. What board and height would you recommend?
Hey Julian, there are a few options and it will all depend on the conditions you will be surfing and your style/personal preferences. Like I personally like twin fins.. either in short or mid length sizes. So, I enjoy having more freedom on a wave and turn quick/release the tail when I want to. The most high performance mid-lengths that I tried recently.. would be: JS Big Baron (Twin Fin). That's the most responsive one, it's the least forgiving one too but it's wide and stable in terms of riding it. The glass job is not great but should last you for a few years. You just need to be slightly more precise to pick the right line when you catch the wave. The second one would be either Album Plasmid (full review is already available on my RUclips page) or Moonstone. I like the Moonstone better. I'll release the review soon. I'm trying to get Matt Parker on the show again to discuss about it. If you want 2+1 then I can go with Hayden Shapes Mid Length Glider (works great in small conditions as well as big), Pyzel Mid Length Crisis (would go better starting from 3ft +). I already did reviews on them. Check them out. If you want more like a Single fin, then you could go with CI Mid, Trimcraft Haley Pin or Ryan Lovelace Haley Pin. if you want to get quad, then you can do Firewire Seaside and Beyond (works better in smaller waves) or Mid 6 - Thunderbolt Red - Firewire Surfboards (review is coming out soon). Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions! Cheers!
How’d you find yourself with the Ci Mid? Did you buy it new or off a 3rd party marketplace? Can’t seem to find these boards anywhere, just a bunch of off-brand boards trying to replicate the shape and dims of a ci mid. Must be really good boards since nobody wants to sell theirs hahah
I bought it at the surf shop down in New Jersey www.bravesurf.com/ in Point Pleasant. They may still have some in stock. It was also relatively not expensive ~900 then after a few months the price went up to $1500. It's a great mid length for cruising and round turns when the waves have more size.
The SSB quad boxes are just too far forward to be a twin fin. Rob would never put twin fin boxes that far from the tail if he was shaping a custom SSB Twin Fin. The box positions on the Sunday are just wrong. The center box is too short for a single and the sides are too far back for a 2+1. Have to give props to Album for making it just a twin. Waiting for my MC Reverse Vee Twin Pin:)
Thank you, brother! I actually dropped my friend's CI Mid.. It's got some minor scratches. Nothing major. He's not unhappy. CI ramped up prices on CI Mid recently. LOL.
Considering the conditions you surf in, the types of boards you seem to like and your preference for Firewire, I am surprised you don’t have a Greedy Beaver Have you looked at the Greedy Beaver at all?
Hey Surf Fun! In the past few years, I found Firewire surfboards to work much better than others but I recently have started discovering alternative crafts and I love them much more specifically for their glide, the way they were made with a great quality and user friendly experience. I did want to put my hands on the Greedy Beaver in the past as it looks so fun. If I see one on the Craigslist or second hand market, I will try to snuggle it for sure! Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview I think the only sort of mid length that really appeals to me is a 70's style single fin, nice oldschool style. I just picked up a new shortboard from my shaper today, stoked to try it out!! Similar to the Rocket Wide Squash
@@henrywalton5967 I totally agree. The modern mid lengths are coming more maneuverable to meet people who doesn't wanna struggle on a shortboard in crowds. There are still certain cool mid lengths that have 70's style. What's your shaper's name/model you went with?
@@SkipperSurfReview yeah definitely see why there's a market for them. His name is Luke Young and it's the Meteor model but with a Squash tale and no step. The original design looks awesome as well but thought I'd play it safe with a Squash as I'm not very familiar with swallow tales.
It's not only the board that determines how it feels. A more competent surfer would give a totally different review. If you watch any of the Ombe surf lessons with Clayton, he explains how a too advanced board won't feel good to a beginner but as his skill level increases so does the preformance and feel of a board change! Therefore your reviews of these boards are more a reflection of your ability than the boards themselves.
Hi Michael, I totally agree. My reviews are based on my level of surfing which is around intermediate level. However I do think the newest mid lengths "not all" have become more user friendly to allow beginners to progress quicker and move away from the foamies and bigger boards if they wish. I've been experiencing that in person by watching how my friend (~35 years old, 185 lbs ) progressed so quickly in surfing for the past year or so. He was a beginner who could catch waves on his own but was having issue with turns, couldn't pump down the line and didn't have a flow. Since he's been surfing the 7'0" Seaside and Beyond, he progressed so much and more important, he's got a flow and does turns pretty well. Cheers!
@Jack Pooley they will enjoy. In most cases it's really personal. Most boards are very enjoyable to ride however it all depends on the surfers. What they want from the boards, how spoiled they are, what mood. Over time I get bored with performance mid lengths and just want to glide and cruise down the line which happens once a month or so. Some people just like straight hand shaped boards like the ones that come from Ryan Lovelace, for instance. Even some models are not user friendly, people appreciate craftsmanship more than anything. Cheers!
Casually landed here as I am 30yo surfer in crisis 😂 Always used to ride shortboards, I end up with a longboard group and having a lot of fun because I surf x5 more waves and I can fairly cheat heavy crowded spots but I really miss manoeuvrability… what would you suggest? Seems S&B be the best option but maybe with that board I cannot fairly cheat crowded spot?😂 Do you think there is a mid length that can sit right with longboards line up but still maneuvers a lot? I’m 5’8 180lbs for reference, really good shape and strength… need to find the right spot between size/volume… Thank you!
That’s a tough one… you always have a trade off.. I couldn’t find any mid length board that would compete with the longboard.. they just glide so easy to get into the waves earlier. You can’t beat it. You can sit under them to catch the waves that they don’t go for or miss.. that’s my strategy when I surf in crowds with the longboarders. Seaside and Beyond is still one of the best mid lengths (LFT) construction, I also love Lovemachine ThickLizzy 7’10” which has some closer feel of a longboard, CI Tri Plane Hull Single has a nice glide or Mid Twin if you want to go faster. It depends on what waves you surf and mood. Haha.
No, I’ve been buying them on my own. I recently got one Mini Simmons for review from Arc surfboards out of New England. The board is sick. Will upload review in the next month or so.
@@SkipperSurfReview that's my point. I get that there's a lot of hype around these brands, and that makes for more clicks, but it would be cool to see you give a lesser known shaper/builder some shine and turn people onto the idea that there are other options out there and a much more fulfilling experience (custom board from someone in your community). I think too many people believe that only the CI Mid (for example) is a good board and ordering one online is a good idea after watching a couple youtube videos.
Thanks but the last time I was 70kg I was aged 12. You're pretty much demo-ing mids for teenagers or Asian/Indonesian type surfers. Also you're riding what sort of looks like 'Trestles' or similar, where any board will perform.
Hey Michael, how does the Moe grovel? I've only really seen it in clean stuff and then sloppy Hawaiian surf (which still has a lot of push). Thanks man!
Great reviews but i think the seaside and beyond looks ugly side on , too much volume in the nose , though it does surf really well almost shortboard like .But the smooth operator shouldnt be oversized unless your a beginer , smooth operator will do it all and feels like a true midlengh . ,
As a shaper of 30 years , you've given a very accurate assessment if the 'Mid-length' category . Great job and advice . Mahalo brother .
Awesome review!
Thanks for reviews and comparisons of the boards. I’m a Rockaway guy as well. I’ve been surfing a 6’10 Smooth Operator for 4 years now. I surf it as a single or a quad and I absolutely love it. Lots of glide and it turns off the tail.
Hey Jason! Glad to hear that! Yeah the Smooth Operator has good options to unlock more fun🤙🏼 hope we’re gonna get some fun waves this week!
Great review! Very helpful, Yuri.
Glad it was helpful!
Brilliant title!
Great topic and fantastic title! Although I ride smaller boards and longboards, my mid length has proven to be the best all around board for the regular wind slop at our local break.
Totally agree! Thank you for your feedback!
Great video super informational in all aspects thank you
Thanks you for watching! Which one you are considering now? :)
Haha I’m 37 and defs going through a mid-length crisis! Nice one Yuri. Would love to watch a step-ups review from you at some point :-)
Thank you, Huw. The 6'8" Seaside and Beyond was used to be my step-up in the past. Now, I would consider CI Twin Pin as a great step up board. The review is coming next week..
Cheers!
Great review, Skipper! I ordered 6'8" Seaside&Beyond two weeks ago after I watched it. I tested it today in 1-3 ft range with semi clean conditions. It's one of the best midlengths I've ridden, so fun! I don't need to shortboard anymore. LOL. Keep up the good work!
Yeww!! Enjoy😜 Thank you for your feedback, Jack!
FireWire Sunday 6’8 think wd do good for just knee high only waves ?? Or there’s something better out there , pretty much exact size as u , and consider inter begnr surfer
@@sntfabrication yes, that would work fine but it depends on how comfortable you are on shorter boards. If you surf longboards, then going down straight to 6'8" will be very challenging. The board is not that stable compared to the Seaside and Beyond for instance. I personally would prefer to surf a mid length glider like 7'8-7'10" ThickLizzy or Trimcraft Haley Pin to maximize wave count and extend the ride. If I wanna do more turns then I usually grab my 5'2" Mini Simmons by Hydrodynamica which fits perfectly in the pocket. After riding 5'9" Sunday for a while, I love it more than the mid length Sunday 7'0". Hope this helps!
I just bought a 6'8 Sunday, using the RM twin keels and it is awesome! I have been able to do late drops at trestles. But yes the board prefers to get in early. Great videos Yuri! Keep it up!
Hey Alex! Glad you like it! Thanks for sharing it. I figured out the shorter you go, the easier it will be to make late drops on it. Ugh, missing Trestles! Cheers!
what fin size do you use it as a single? or you use it always with the sides?
@@pabs4542 Hey Pabs, sorry for the delay. I didn't see it. I use 7' True Ames single fin. I didn't use side bites.. You can if it's really big.. for 3-5 ft, the Single Fin does it's job.
@@SkipperSurfReview no worries and ty for the reply. I only tested mine with a 6"5 and side bits that are actually rear quads, head size and overall happy with it. Lol I'm sure I need to get a bigger fin to use it as a single, maybe a 7"5 and no sides?
Great video Skip, thanks for the advice will be looking to buy a mid length so your vids are really helping me narrow it down. Found the audio was a bit quiet mind mate - had to listen on full volume 😀
Thank you, Timmy! I've got a better mic now. I hope you won't have to volume up anymore haha. Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview Well decision made. Got a nice 2nd hand SAB 7'0 today 😀 Looking forward to your next video Skipper. 🤙
@@timmydee7396 Sweet! Congrats! I hope I can get one out this weekend :)
Yuri, you need to try the mid 6
Try the smooth operator with the fcs2 matt biolos split keels. That's my go to set up. It has a ton of drive and control. You can push super hard on turns and draw huge lines.
Hi Jesse! Thank you for the suggestion. I will try when we get waves... We are in a flat spell at this moment!
Thanks, this video will help alot of folks narrow their board choice. I just put a 7'0 Sunday on hold at a surf shop yesterday! I'm coming down from a 67 liter 9'0 performance longboard. I wanted something that has more turning but still can paddle well with lots of glide. My biggest problem is I live in Arizona and come out to surf every 2-3 months, so I rarely surf a swell. Usually its mushy and weak. So I thought the extra volume would be better for 1-3 ft. But now your video has me wondering if I should have picked a different board?
Hey J.Duke! Thanks for watching. I wouldn't consider Sunday as a good transitioning board from a longboard down to mid length. However I would suggest to look into 7'4" Seaside and Beyond (LFT). My friend stepped down from 8'8" CI Water Hog and he loves it so far. If it's not available then see if you can find one in Timbertek technology in size 7'2". Hope this helps!
Yeah. I’m enjoying my Sunday as a keel, but it’s harder to surf than the Seaside and Beyond.
@@charleshawk6668 Definitely. It’s less forgiving than the Seaside and Beyond. However it has shorter response time in the water due to Helium technology.
Next, try a Christenson C-Bucket or Flat Tracker and a Takayama Howard Mini! What's a couple grand more in surfboards? Lol. Seriously though, thanks for shelling out the cash for it. It really helps us figure out what type of midlength would work for our type of surfing.
Thanks for the idea! Well, am not going to complain how pricey it is but I will try to prepare mentally for it and grab it from @realwatersports LOL
Had a Donald shaped 7'2", I believe the predecessor to the Howard Mini. A perfect beginner's groveler board that paddled and caught waves so easy and was super forgiving and nearly impossible to fall. The pinched rails and flat rocker are just a dream in small mushy surf. They were also a huge liability when the waves got punchier and bigger. I hated to give it up, but it was just too low performance with no ability to go vertical. Been eyeing a C-Bucket to fill that quiver gap.
@@mootrail9487 Flat rocker always adds more fun! C Bucket is on my list now too.. may go for one later!
@@mootrail9487 definitely recommend a c bucket, glides like a dream in the mush and gets In early on bigger days. I’ve got a 6’10 and I keep choosing to surf it over other boards in the quiver
Love these honest reviews. I have a Howard Special Mini 7’4 and I can say that it matches Howard’s description “not the fastest board..”. It handles well shaped waves up to and including overhead, and does exactly what you tell it. This means it relies on the surfer to add speed, and doesn’t have lots of glide. This is due to the v in the tail, tail foil, and tail profile. I have not tried a ci mid, but I would expect it to want to keep moving all the time.
I love your channel and all then board comparisons. I have a 6' Seaside that I really like. I have numerous midlengths most are from 50 -54 liters in volume and I am 205 pounds. I have been thinking about ordering a custom SS&B 7'6" but in LFT at 59 liters. Maybe i am missing out some gide by not going higher in liters? any thoughts on midlenght volume based on weight and wave size?
Thanks!
Hey Sam! Thank you for your feedback. Well, it all comes down to your level of surfing and what you prefer to do on a wave.
If you go custom, may be you would want to go straight to Rob Machado Surfboards and order it in PU blank or EPS. They do an outstanding glass job and at the end you will get a lot of glide especially if you go with PU blank.
Just as a starting point, my friend is 37 years old, height: 5'11", weight: between 185-200 lbs, pro beginner level surfer / advanced beginner.
He's got a custom Seaside and Beyond in PU blank with the dimensions: 7’2” x 21 1/4 x 2 3/4 (the volume is around 46-48 L)
He loves it and he wouldn't go any bigger. Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions. Cheers!
Good stuff as always, Yuri! For the smooth operator, Matt Biolos mentioned he made it for a quad fin set up and is for for pumping and drawing horizontal & almost vertical lines. So I think it’s made more for active riding than pure glide. I can definitely see how a thruster would be too stiff and tracky. It works well single fin too - good drive but can still turn on a dime because of the pintail. The side bites will give too much hold. You can suggest to your buddy to try out the Mayhem FCS Split Keels - they really liven up the board!
Thank you, JP. Much appreciated! I’ll let him know. May be even step down in size to 6’8”😁
I recently added a 7'0 smooth operator to my quiver. So far have only ridden it as a quad. Find it really quick and turns great. In a review by MB he suggested running it as a twin. Gonna try it with some large MR's and maybe a trailer next.
@@famroberts Nice! May I know your weight/height? How does it work for you in small waves? Can you force it to pump down the line?
@@SkipperSurfReview sure. 6ft 85kg. Works fine in small surf and can definitely get it going rail to rail down the line when needed. Have also had it out on a few good days and it handled well.
Super helpful video! I’ve got a seaside and beyond 6’8” and agree it’s definitely the most maneuverable mid length I’ve ever ridden. people are always surprised when they find out it’s only 40’ liters. I’ve also gotten to surf a Sunday, I believe it was 7’3”. It’s got tons of glide, but I was not a fan of how it felt. I think I’d enjoy it a lot more as a twinny short board. Curious if anyone has been on a shorter Sunday? How’s it feel? Anyways, thanks for sharing all the insight!
Thank you, Zachary. My buddy got my 6'8" SSB and became over addicted to it. It spoiled him so much! LOL I heard the 6'0" Sunday is fun as a twin fin. I didn't try it. I may switch to a shorter version later this year :) So far, I have plenty of new toys to enjoy! Have you tried to ride 6'8" SSB as a twinny?
@@SkipperSurfReview Thanks for all the great reviews! I’m 205 lb and stepping down from a 9’6” longboard. My skill level is mediocre/intermediate :) I’m strongly leaning toward a SSB (looking for a board I can use in smaller waves and start to improve on turns). Thoughts about 7’0 vs 7’4 for my size? Or consider different board altogether for first mid-length? I’m looking to maximize waves caught and grins :) Thx!
@@darrenkeele4476 Hi Darren! Thanks for watching. Well, the 9’6” longboard is likely over 90 liters of volume and if you go down straight to SSB 7’4” with 50L that will be difficult to adjust. As a transition from a big board like that, I’d recommend going with the 7’6” Seaside and Beyond in Timbertek construction which comes at 60 Liters of volume plus its a bit wider to give you a good stability. Once you get used to that size and less volume, then you can downsize it to 7’2 or 7’0”. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
@@SkipperSurfReview I haven’t tried it as a twin yet. The one I was able to get at our shop was in FCS and all my other keel/twin fins are in futures. Maybe one of these days I’ll pop those two little guys off the back. I like the quad though, especially backhand. I use those same Machado quads in a FireWire twice baked, super fun in that guy too. Too many boards and not enough time! Cheers man, looking forward to your next vids.
This is a good review.
We have to admit that "magic board" doesn't exist.
It's just that special board for today's waves.
I will keep looking :)
Great review mate, didn't know you had the smooth operator to compare too that's awesome. Side fins look big on that one you would probably like it in a 7'0" Real watersports have a couple of good reviews and some fin set up review. My mate has a 7 and rides it quad and 2 plus one. Maybe try the fins out of your ci mid in it sometime. Thanks for the great comparison review. I keep looking at seaside and beyond and ci mid even though I mad boards very similar myself lol Temptation of the surf shops.
What's up mate.. Thank you!!! This was my friend's Smooth Operator who gave it to me to try for a few waves. It seems like most people run it as a quad and like it. So, I will tell my friend to try it this way and see if it works better. Are you thinking of getting Seaside and Beyond or CI Mid? :) Go for the SSB haha.
@@SkipperSurfReview Hey Skip ;-) Yeah I have been eyeing a few things up and my own Fish is very similar to the SSB and from everything I hear i'm really tempted to get the real deal lol But mine goes really well. I was eying up the GJ Nelson Outlier too as considering trying something in an 8ft ish.. If it's a mid I like to either be able to duck dive it (so around 7' and 50L max) but could consider going right up so 8'0" and 60Litres would be ok for that.. I looked at these and the Ingleby Moe at the weekend and also like the look of the Moe the 8ft would be like a short chunky longboard that's not going to be held back by carrying unnecessary nose riding features in the design plus it's quad and slider box... Then I see my mate has advertised his 7'2" Seaxe so I ended up buying that.. I'm keen to know how something with a Hull goes but a bit timid to go full hull so that at second hand prices seemed like a good starting point.. I like the outline and volume and that's also slider and quad so yeah will see how that goes. It's probably most like a ci on the bottom but outline a bit less eggy and really refined rails and tail the CI is actually quite a full rail but not a wide board... Soooooomany choices. Anyways that one is me for now and will go from there. Coming back from an injury so on a bigger board for a bit anyways. Keep well my friend and keep up teh good work Reviews keep getting better and better. Cheers.
@@lawson45uk Wow! Thank you for a very informative comment. Glad you are getting back into the water. You really know what you exactly want from the board in terms of outline/shape/bottom contours and I feel like I will get there at some point in my life. As of now, I mostly look for something that would make surfing easier and fun at my local beach break with inconsistent surf. Cheers, mate!
@@SkipperSurfReview Ah no i'm definitely still learning a lot and unsure of many things too. the more modern concaves and down rails I have a good idea on the stuff that's more retro inspired like hull bottoms and some of the more crazy rail shapes i'm still trying to learn.. You have been able to try lots of great boards and having chats with guys like Matt from Album you will pick up even more those sorts of guys are amazing with their knowlege and understanding
@@lawson45uk I wish we had good waves all the time (2-3 times a week) at least 3 ft clean conditions. This would definitely speed up the learning process not just surfing but how the small change in the bottom counters affect the performance.
Great vids Skip! Keep them coming! I’m a NJ surfer with a limited (Short board only) quiver! I’m looking at getting a Mid length or Groveler for the crappier surf days. (Ie. Seaside & Beyond -v- Baked Potato). Any thoughts / recommendations? Cheers!
Hi Conor! You can't really go wrong with the Seaside and Beyond which has the closest feel to surfing a shortboard. But if you are looking for more glide & cruisy vibe with the ability to do turns, cutbacks here and there then I would highly recommend checking out Haley Pin by Trimcraft or ThickLizzy by Ryan Lovelace. It's the same model but different name & shaper. I believe Glidesurf Co still has a few Haley Pin's in stock. I'm finishing up review on ThickLizzy this week and should be available by next week. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions. You can also HMU on Instagram.
Nice review! It's helpful and may save people money. I'm in love with my Seaside&Beyond but I feel like I already hit the limits and I want to move to something else... Have you seen JS Big Baron?
Hey Anthony! Thank you for the feedback. I've just posted review on JS Big Baron. Check it out!
got a Smooth Operator in 7.2 and is definitely one of the best feeling boards I ever had. I use a 2+1 fin set up and it`s a board which is probably best at nice point breaks, from at least chest to head high up to as big as you dare. it`s not made for small or mushy stuff, but once the waves get cleaner, bigger and better it kicks ass.
Hey Rainer! I can imagine how good it would go as most mid lengths do work better once the size goes over shoulder high. It definitely felt like this board is made for bigger waves. However I feel like the shorter version like 6’8” could work much better in smaller waves especially as a quad. Thank you for your input🙌🏻 Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview yeah defo, I also got a 6.8 seaside & beyond and love it, but with most of these boards I feel they work best in specific conditions and are hardly a one-board-quiver.
Most accurate review of the smooth operator on this thread. My go-to board. Twinnie is most fun bc it’s sooo much quicker. Then I go quad on head high+ for that added stability. Great video! Very tempted to go album next. Especially after mason and coco loved theirs in the electric acid surfboard test
Wanted to weigh in , I picked up a 7’4” smooth operator. Rode it today in shoulder plus waves as a quad. Board is very fun, catches waves easily and turns well. I’m a bigger guy (200 lbs) and ride bigger boards, and LBs in east coast beach breaks. I’m impressed with the smooth operator, looking forward to getting some more surf Sunday
@@pokercluster I totally agree😜 there is always gonna be a trade-off🤙🏼
Great reviews I've got a smooth operator only surfed it once as a quad turned nice and very fast down the line. Have you surfed a cj Nelson outlier ? I bought one and find it really prone to pearling, maybe you could review one ? Was just about to buy a Sunday so ill hold off thanks for the video
Hi Steven! Thank you for the feedback. I haven't ridden one. May be you just need to change something in terms of positioning and paddle more sideways. If you can get a footage of your surfing and send it to me, I'd be happy to analyze it. Hit me up on IG to share it. If I see one second hand, I will probably grab it for review :) Cheers!
For those still struggling with which one to choose - I am same height and weight as skipper. I have the CI-Mid 6’10. I would say at 70kgs this is plenty of board. In fact I would probably go 6’8 now that i am used to it. I find it will take steeper take offs and I can paddle into almost anything, even sit out close to those on Long Boards.
I am really surprised at its versatility.. That said I would like to try the Rob M Seaside one also .
Thanks for chiming in🙏🏼 I think the more important part is the level of surfing. For advanced beginners I’d still aim for 7’0”. If you try the 6’8” Seaside and Beyond in LFT you wouldn’t want to go back to CI Mid🙈🙈🙈 Happy New Year John🤙🏼
@@SkipperSurfReview I really like the look of that one also - and you are right when you discuss the size of waves.. The CI-Mid does do better in the bigger stuff than the 1-3 foot range and I think Devon H would agree with that when he talks about it
@@Johnburkex78 Yes, he does.. He also recently did a podcast with Surfmastery "Mid-length crash course".. It's very interesting and I would highly recommend checking it out. Here is a link: surfmastery.com/podcast/70devonhoward
Great review! I’m also considering the Album Townsend asym or the Chilli Mid Strength along with the Seaside & Beyond. Have you tried or heard much about those other two?
Thank you! My friend (~45 years old, 190 lbs, advanced beginner) just got Album Townsend asym (goofy) a few weeks ago. I believe it's 7'2". He loves it. I saw him flying down the line and doing turns pretty easy. If you can wait for a custom one, then I would suggest getting the Townsend Asym. I believe Matt Parker surfs one and it's treating him well. I haven't heard anything about Chilli Mid Strength but it looks like a more high performance mid length.
@@SkipperSurfReview awesome! I’ve already got a 5’11” custom twinsman on order, had been thinking of the sunstone too… now I have to decide between a 6’8” seaside & beyond or a 6’10” asym Townsend I think!
I would like to see you do a review of the channel island's mid and the pizell mid ... Similar shapes but foiled differently
Hi Michael! Thanks for watching! I've already done the review on CI Mid. I fondled Pyzel Mid a few weeks ago at the surf shop. Tbh, I wasn't really impressed with the design and quality that would justify $1300 price tag. It's just my opinion. I would rather go custom with Rob Machado Surfboards, Ryan Lovelace or Album. Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview I did see your maid review and enjoyed it it was very informative but as you could see Is the paizelle midlife crisis model model it's pretty Unique and I hope you will give it a try in the future looking forward as usual to your next board review
@@michaelsweeney4975 Hey Mike! I've just got Pyzel Mid Length Crisi... Will do review soon as soon as we get some waves! I took it out on small day and it worked ok-ish but it feels like it needs a bigger wave to move it better :) Stay tuned!
awesome review. gotta ask-what kind of sandals are those?
Thank you, Sandman! The sandals are from Teva.
i've been riding midlength for the last 5 years and i think fins make such a big difference. Like you mentioned I would try the Smooth Operator as a Twin, i have a similar board, by a local shaper that only came alive (for me) once i put a MR twin set in (with trailer). You need to try a midlength Bonzer and report back to us :), i'm still on the fence on those.
I didn’t get a chance to try it yet. The waves haven’t been good. The last hurricane swell was a skunk for my backyard. I’m interested in bonzers, never tried it before. I’ll look into it😜 MR twin fin set
is DOPE! Thank you for the recommendations!
Awesome comparison, have you tried out the HI mid 6? Really curious how it compares
I didn’t get a chance yet. I have a buddy in NEw Jersey who got Mid6 and he loves it so far. It’s been really flat lately and I didn’t get a chance to link up with him to try it😁 I’ll report back when it happens. Cheers!
Time to buy some lavelier mics for the audio I suggest the Rhode Wireless Go very cost effective and your audio will improve like crazy! It'll cut the wind and background noise without too much effort
Thank you, Ed. I’ve been trying different mics but for some reason don’t have good luck. Sometimes they don’t work properly even I test it prior to recording. We’ve got one wired Rhode mic for the camera but I’ll definitely try to get the one you mentioned to get better audio from a distance. Thanks again🙏🏼 Much appreciated 🙌🏻
Thank you for this video! I am a fairly new surfer 2yrs / I am comfortable catching rockaway waves on an 8’ 6 hard top board and want to progress to a mid length. Your review of the album plasmic seems perfect for me but seems like they do not make this anymore / would you have another suggestion? I’m 6’2 165 lbs / thanks for your content
Hey Justin! Thanks for watching. Most Album Surfboards need to go custom if you want to get that in certain size etc. I would recommend checking out Lovemachine ThickLizzy in size 7’10” to properly step down from 8’6”. You can find/order one at Glide Surf Shop down in NJ @glidesurfco
That’s definitely gonna improve your surfing and wave count here in Rockaway. Check out my recent videos and review on it with Ryan.
ruclips.net/video/bnPJBazaHyM/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/Kmzu0A-d9Dw/видео.html
🤙
Harley Ingleby Moe and Mid 6!
Any thoughts on the Takayama Egg? Looks good but hardly any videos on it. Thanks for this. Very interesting.
Thanks for watching Stephen! To be honest, I’m not really into that. It seems that it turned into NSP kinda vibe. I’m sure the board will be fun to ride.
@@SkipperSurfReviewthanks nfor getting back. Since I wrote that, I read quite a lot about Tuflite boards struggling on windy days, which is the norm here in the UK, so I am looking at other options now. Which is your go-to mid length now, out of curiosity? Thanks again👍👍
@@StephenBeale So, in the past month or so, I've been playing with Ryan Lovelace ThickLizzy or it's also called Haley Pin by Trimcraft Surfboards. The board goes so well in chop/wind/whatever. It's packed with glide to the max. It's not as high performance boards as the Seaside and Beyond for instance but you can still do good turns/floaters on it. I like it much more than CI Mid which definitely needs a bigger wave (3+ ft) to make a turn. ThickLizzy feels much less in the water than it's actual length. I recently did full review on it and if you are interested please check it out. I think it would suit you so well in UK to catch a lot of waves despite the conditions, especially weak ones from the windswells. Cheers!
Hey, great video! Can you compare any of these with 7s superfish if any experience with those?
Thank you, Timur! I wlil check with the local surf shop if they have 7s superfish to let me demo it! Cheers!
Which mid length would you recommend to improve your surfing? Ive been on a 52L 6'8" for the last year and just trying to work some turns now. I feel the Seaside and Beyond might be the one... I m a similar size as well, just a bit heavier
Hey Joel! If you want to get the closest feel to a shortboard then JS Big Baron will be the one. It's a twin fin, really fast, fast paddler, turns really quick and it doesn't give you a corky feel at all. However the deck has got a very thin glassing, so the foot impressions are pretty bad. I recently uploaded a full review on it to my channel. The Seaside and Beyond (only LFT) can be a great choice for overall experience if you are still transitioning from beginner to intermediate level. It will fix more mistakes than JS Big Baron though. If you have time (12-16weeks) and patience, you could go custom on Album Plasmic in size 6'8". If you are looking for more cruisy vibe with the ability to do turns here and there, than the Haley Pin by Trimcraft surfboards or Ryan Lovelace ThickLizzy will work pretty good. I would only consider the size 7'8-7'10". There is also CI Mid in that wheelhouse. It just all depends on your preferences.. handshaped or CNC :) Let me know if you have any questions! Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview Amazing! Thanks for that, some great options there. One thing I like is to keep it under 7" so I can throw it in the car, thanks for the reply!
I have the 6'10 CI MID, and I love it..
Yew!!!
Need your opinion, I was planning on getting a custom board same size just a tad thinner 6'10 x 20 7/8 x 2 5/16 as a dedicated twin..I wanted the same bottom contours, double barrel concave but with V in the tail..
Or should I just get the CI twin pin in that size? Thoughts??THANKS
@@kdenbeaches808 The Twin Pin won't have that glide and projection as the CI Mid though. I personally wouldn't go in the same size. For instance, I would have CI Mid in size 7'0" as a middy/cruisy board and Twin Pin in size 6'1" for 3ft+ days. In case you don't want to stick with CI in particular, then I would suggest checking out JS Big Baron. I got one in size 6'8". This is by far the best twin fin/mid length board I'ver ever had. I was planning on doing the review on it but I got sick with COVID and had other things to deal with, so all the reviews got postponed. I'm hoping I can finish it up this week and release it by next Monday or so.
@@SkipperSurfReview funny you mentioned that big baron, my cousin recommended it as well.. how's it surf and the glide compare to the CI MID? I absolutely love the glide on my CI MID, so they have it in PU? I like my PU boards.
@@kdenbeaches808 It's a solid high performance mid with a great glide and the ability to turn on a dime. CI Mid will have better projection dow the line when it's windy. I'm so impressed! Hope this helps!
Hey, I'm looking at buying a CI mid. Surf conditions would be similar to what you were surfing in this video. I'm 75kgs, and somewhere between beginner surfer and intermediate. I was told to go 6'10 but what size would you recommended? Thanks mate. Awesome video.
Hey James! If you have better waves, than you would be ok with the 6’10” but for for windy, weak & crappy days, I would go with the 7’0” if you want to cruise down the line longer and take advantage of the proper mid length size😁
I'm 6'6" 215 (98 kg) and ride the CI MID in a 7'10". I could have gone with the 7'6" and been just as happy, but I'm stoked with this board. Effortless paddle, fast and smooth. As I get older a little extra volume and length helps keep me catching waves and happy. If you do pull the trigger on one, I'd go one size up from what your gut says. Best wishes!
I’ve been watching a lot of videos on mid length surfboards and urs was the most complete so thank you for this video. I’m really digging CI mid as you said it’s an all round board and toying between getting a 7.0 or 6.10. Wdyt? I’m 178cm (5ft10) and 75kg. I’ve been surfing for 2 years and wouldn’t consider myself too advance but I was surfing a 6.8 hybrid fish 45L before and can catch waves and go down the line. Lemme know what you think
Hey Mikey! Thanks for watching. If you think you will be surfing good waves meaning 3ft + then you can easily go for the 6'10" but if you want to cover smaller conditions like in my first review of CI Mid, then I would go for the 7'0" ruclips.net/video/zY9KzhTSBGw/видео.html
By the way, I will be reviewing CI Mid Twin soon. Stay tuned!
@@SkipperSurfReview wow thanks for the prompt reply brother. I’ve just subscribed to you as well. So for smaller conditions I have something like a pyzel crisis mid 8.0 and a mini mal 8.0 so I think smaller conditions I have covered. But I wanted a backup board as I cracked the 6.8 right before a surf trip and didn’t get it fixed in time. The 6.10 is 42L and 7.0 is 44L so it’s a bit of a gamble. I think following the rough rule of 12 inches bigger than your height I am going to try getting the 6.10. Lemme know if you have further thoughts. Also what fin size do you think I should use for the 2+1?
@@MikeyMoran I've tried to surf 6'8" on a 3 ft day (Point break). I didn't feel that I have any advantage to get into the waves earlier than any shortboarder out there. The 7'0" does have advantage of projecting into the waves earlier. So, if that's something you want from a mid length, then I would go with the 7'0".. It still turns well once you have a good size. 6'10" would feel slightly more responsive but you still need a wave to turn it. In terms of fin set up, I would go single fin for smaller days under 3 ft and then pop those sides bites in when it goes bigger to create more drive and hold through the turns. I had 7'0" CI Mid and it was set up with 6'5" True Ames Single fin and 3.5" side some True Ames bites. I would def go on bigger days with 2+1. Hope this helps!
@@SkipperSurfReview amazing bud, thanks for the info
Great comparison video. I was hoping to buy the Sea & Beyond, but they are out of stock and I'm heading on a surf trip to Mex, so I need to decide on another one. Is the Album still your favorite?
Hi Brent! Sorry for the late response. I was sick with Covid. It’s all good now. Album is still my favorite but I recently discovered a new model Moonstone. That’s the quiver killer for me. I haven’t done full review yet but I hope I’ll do it soon 🙌🏼 I have one in size 6’8” and if you’re around intermediate level surfer that wants to surf it as a shortboard and put it on rail then that’s the one. I hope you found a board for Mexico trip. Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview Thanks. I'll check out the Moonstone. Yeah I ended finding a used 6'10 CI Mid. So far I like it a lot. I can just duck dive it, so the size/vol is a good compromise.
Hey there I need your help as I just can't decide which mid to buy.
20yrs of surf, looking for something that can help fairly cheat crowdy days (more glide?) and still have that performance-y shortboard feel.
I read tons of review but I can't really decide as I know how it works with boards and i'm afraid to waste money.
I'm 80kg, 178cm looking for a cool mid to catch tons of waves and have lot of maneuverabilty. Which one do you suggest? Thank you!
Hey Giamma! I would say you can’t go wrong with CI Tri Plane Hull Single or CI Mid Twin, Seaside and Beyond quad, JS Big Baron Twin fin, Album Plasmid with the diamond tail. Hope this helps!
Can you get your hands on a 6’0 Sunday? Think it would be much better dimensions for you, would be great to compare.
I will try to get one and replace the 7'0". Which board would you compare it to at 6'0" size?
@@SkipperSurfReview i dont know if it dompares to anything coz its still like 10litres+ above your shortboard volume but way shorter then any typical midlength. pretty unique combintion.
Could you do a review on the CI tri plane Hull single fin? Thanks
I did a brief overview here but will try to take it out later on a good day!
ruclips.net/video/2HDmCOf-i-I/видео.html
The smooth operator is great as a quad. I don't like it as a 2+1.
What a great review
I like to surf around 4 to 6feet height
What do you recommend between album and seaside and beyond?
Thanks for watching! It depends on what you like riding.. twin or quad. Please let me know! I recently got 6’8” JS Big Baron (twin) which has the best performance overall but you’re gonna have major foot impressions after 1-2 sessions. The glass job is kinda poor though. I love to ride twin fins these days. Album has a few models running twin like stretched out Twinsman, Plasmic as well as Darkness which considered as a proper mid length in their fleet. I’m uploading Twinsman review featuring Matt Parker. It should be available tonight/tomorrow 🤙🏼
JS BIG BARON is pu? I love to do deep bottom turn and sharp top turn however when i ride longer version of short board especially over chest height i felt board are very weak need to have more durability
@@davidkim3294 Yes, PU foam infused with epoxy resin.
Hey Yuri what size extra literage would you recommend to get for your first mid length?
Hey Simon! So, there are a lot of things get involved besides surfboard volume. I would say it's more about the size of the board and your skills. Some people can quickly adjust to a shorter length of the board and low volume. It mostly happens when the person have no issues catching waves on a longboard, he/she is comfortable making late drops with just 2-3 paddles, does quick pop up and have a good balance/strong core. If that's the case then you can go easily from 9 ft longboard down to 7' mid length and deal with 45L of volume if you are around 170 lbs 5'9-5'11" avg. But in general, I wouldn't recommend rushing down in size quickly. So, if you are on a 9ft log, then 7'10" size would probably be a good start like something similar to ThickLizzy by Ryan Lovelace (I've just uploaded review on it a few days ago). Once you dial some turns, get the flow going, start making more critical drops with 2-3 paddles then you can downsize to 7'0" or keep the 7'10" as a longboard and get 6'8" mid length (high performance one) to get more a feel of a shortboard. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
Hey brother!! Nice channel I love your videos. I’m really undecided on which size of Seaside and Beyond I should get. I’m 5’9 165 lbs intermediate level. I know you have tested both oh them. Cheers!!
Hey Vinicius! I would definitely go with the 6'8" LFT Seaside and Beyond. Btw, I recently got JS Big Baron in size 6'8" twin fin. It's pretty sick. I hope I will get the review out in the next two weeks! Cheers!
Thanks for your answer! I live 30 min away from FireWire in Carlsbad-CA and I’m gonna go there in person to order my Seaside & Beyond. I also live 45 min from Album surfboards in San Clemente. I sent them an email asking for prices and they are very expensive starting at $1350 for the Plasmic Mid length. Unfortunately too much money for me.
Thanks for your reviews and keep up with the good work! 🤙🏻
@@viniciusweide4777 yeah, album surfboards are pricey. I heard the price on most boards will go up soon. Since CI opened up a vacuum for new price range on mid lengths by selling CI Mid for $1500, it's gonna affect everyone at some point to adjust their prices to that. Which size you decided to go with? My buddies have already ordered two custom Seaside and beyond's at robmachadosurfboards.com It comes in great quality. 2 months and it feels great. I'm gonna do review on 7'2" custom SSB pretty soon.
@@SkipperSurfReview hey Skipper! So do you still love your Album Plasmic Mid Length? Does the 7’2 have a good volume for you? What kind of condition do you think this board is for?I think this is your best review and your best video. I have watched it many times.
The Sea Side and Beyond is sold out where a live in San Diego. I’m gonna have to wait a little or order custom online..
So I was thinking maybe to order the Album Plasmic for now.
Good job Skipper. You’re somehow very inspiring! Thanks 🤙🏻
@@viniciusweide4777 Hey Vinicius! I do love it but if I had to go back, I would order it in size 6'8" x 20.5 x 2.25 to make it less bulky. I would have to sacrifice a bit for an early entrance into the waves though. However I would be able to do sharper turns easier due to shorter rail line.
The 7'2" covers all conditions, since it has a good length, it glides into small waves very easy. So just in general, it all comes down to your personal preference.. You can go custom on the Seaside and Beyond @robmachadosurfboards which would take up to 2 months to complete it. I was gong to do review on 7'2" Custom Seaside and Beyond but got sick with Covid. My family just got recovered and I'm back into surfing :) Btw, check out my review on ThickLizzy by Ryan Lovelace if you are into more cruisy vibe. I love it a lot.
Great video! Thank so much. What is your weight?
I’m at 165 lbs😁 Cheers!
@@SkipperSurfReview thx for replying. im your weight at 6" trying to downsize from a 8ft to a more performance board for point /all around
@@UlrichStuwe what boards do you have in mind for transitioning?
@@SkipperSurfReview I been surfing mostly point & beach breaks on a 8ft longboard and I'm looking for a board with a bit more performance. It would be also nice to start duck diving if the board is small enough. I have my eyes on the CI mid...but Im not soled. I'm at 167lbs/ 6ft. What size CI mid did you surf?
Hey there, thanks for the great review. What is the exact model of the Album Plasmic? Is it the darkness?
Hey Ruben! It’s actually Album Plasmid! The darkness has different dimensions and purpose more like cruising board for smaller days.
@@SkipperSurfReview A oke! On the website they don't seem to have it in stock in your size hence I overlooked it. Did you custom order it directly from them? I see you can actually also orde 2 + 1. Could be nice as well!
@@ruben8114 If you just keep checking the website for new models, sometimes they post Pladmids but it doesn't happen often. Last time, they were in stock a few months ago. I didn't go custom.. just ordered from the website when I saw it. Also, check used board sections, sometimes there could be some good deals. Plasmid I would only go twin fin with diamond tail. Are you looking for a board to cruise/catch more waves?
Mm I think I am still not getting it haha. The plasmic seems to be going max to 6,2 size according to their website. Also in custom order..
@@ruben8114 yes plasmic is a short version. The mid length version (stretched out) is called Plasmid😁
Hello where are you surfing?
I was looking at the Sunday and the dominator 2.0 yesterday inHB - I’m a short boarder from Hawaii getting older 53 in California-need foam , like your review on Album platinum twin fin 🤙🏾 aloha
Hey Jason! I surf in New York, Rockaway Beach. Firewire just released new model Mashup which was designed in collab between Dan Mann and Rob Machado. I've ordered one and waiting for shipment which should happen after 2/15. Yeah, I wouldn't need much foam in Hawaii. The waves have so much power! Thanks for the support. Hope you find a fun board soon!
I went to school in New York - the Culinary Institute of America, love New York 🤙🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾
@@jhosoi808 Great! Come visit and surf :) It's very cold now but late March/April is a good season to catch fun waves in 50-60 degrees weather.
FYI, for your next mid, drop down to the 40-43 l range.
Sounds like a plan!
Agree! Yuri, you’re the same weight/height as me and 40 liters on a mid length is perfect. I can still duckdive my 40 liter 6’8” smooth operator fairly easily. Cheers and good luck!
@@whoaitsjape Cool. I may need to try one soon. 40L is a golden number for more active surfers with similar weight and height 😆 Would be cool to surf SSB and Smooth Operator in the same size and conditions. Cheers!
Yeah. Mid to low 40’s is the sweet spot for mids.
Great Review! I used to ride a short board but when I switched to a 8 foot long board I couldn't go back to short boarding with the high wave count. I'm looking for a mid length so I can still have a high wave count but have better performance. I turn and carve comfortably on the long board so I am looking for a high performance midlength that can ride fast down the line and make sharp turns. What board and height would you recommend?
Hey Julian, there are a few options and it will all depend on the conditions you will be surfing and your style/personal preferences.
Like I personally like twin fins.. either in short or mid length sizes. So, I enjoy having more freedom on a wave and turn quick/release the tail when I want to. The most high performance mid-lengths that I tried recently.. would be: JS Big Baron (Twin Fin). That's the most responsive one, it's the least forgiving one too but it's wide and stable in terms of riding it. The glass job is not great but should last you for a few years. You just need to be slightly more precise to pick the right line when you catch the wave. The second one would be either Album Plasmid (full review is already available on my RUclips page) or Moonstone. I like the Moonstone better. I'll release the review soon. I'm trying to get Matt Parker on the show again to discuss about it.
If you want 2+1 then I can go with Hayden Shapes Mid Length Glider (works great in small conditions as well as big), Pyzel Mid Length Crisis (would go better starting from 3ft +). I already did reviews on them. Check them out.
If you want more like a Single fin, then you could go with CI Mid, Trimcraft Haley Pin or Ryan Lovelace Haley Pin.
if you want to get quad, then you can do Firewire Seaside and Beyond (works better in smaller waves) or Mid 6 - Thunderbolt Red - Firewire Surfboards (review is coming out soon).
Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions! Cheers!
How’d you find yourself with the Ci Mid? Did you buy it new or off a 3rd party marketplace? Can’t seem to find these boards anywhere, just a bunch of off-brand boards trying to replicate the shape and dims of a ci mid. Must be really good boards since nobody wants to sell theirs hahah
I bought it at the surf shop down in New Jersey www.bravesurf.com/ in Point Pleasant. They may still have some in stock. It was also relatively not expensive ~900 then after a few months the price went up to $1500. It's a great mid length for cruising and round turns when the waves have more size.
Shape up or ship out surfs crowded enough without getting bigger boards to catch more waves in already crowded line ups
Maybe try a bigger fin on the Lost. That fin looks tiny
I mean the Single Fin
Thank you! We are actually going to try as a quad as well. It seems that more people run it that way and it works perfect! Cheers!
Just curious How long had you been surfing?
I’ve been surfing for 7 years😁
Have you tried the Album Darkness mid lenght?
No, never tried it. I spoke to Matt and he said it's a pretty fun mid length especially for the East Coast waves.
What’s different btw 2-3-4 fin
Hey Skipper! Would you ever try the christenson wolverine??
No, I would but no plans on buying it new.
Great vid! Whats your height & weight? 😎✌
Thanks for watching. I’m 5’9” and 165 lbs at this moment🤙🏼
The SSB quad boxes are just too far forward to be a twin fin. Rob would never put twin fin boxes that far from the tail if he was shaping a custom SSB Twin Fin. The box positions on the Sunday are just wrong. The center box is too short for a single and the sides are too far back for a 2+1. Have to give props to Album for making it just a twin. Waiting for my MC Reverse Vee Twin Pin:)
Twin Pins are the future? )
I agree on that but when you don't want to spend extra money on a legit twinny, this works well in small waves and keep it fun/playful.
can i buy a sunday with only 6.0 and 38 L ?
I weight 72 kg and be begginer-intermediate
I think you can if you don't have issues with the pop up and catching waves on your own!
I would not rest those boards, any board for that matter, on it's tail on concrete. It damages the board 🙈
Thank you, brother! I actually dropped my friend's CI Mid.. It's got some minor scratches. Nothing major. He's not unhappy. CI ramped up prices on CI Mid recently. LOL.
Considering the conditions you surf in, the types of boards you seem to like and your preference for Firewire, I am surprised you don’t have a Greedy Beaver
Have you looked at the Greedy Beaver at all?
Hey Surf Fun! In the past few years, I found Firewire surfboards to work much better than others but I recently have started discovering alternative crafts and I love them much more specifically for their glide, the way they were made with a great quality and user friendly experience. I did want to put my hands on the Greedy Beaver in the past as it looks so fun. If I see one on the Craigslist or second hand market, I will try to snuggle it for sure! Cheers!
Little did he know, pyzel would name a board after this video
Hahaha. There were a few at my local surf shop. I didn’t get a chance to fondle them.
all those boards are PU? or some one is EPS?
7'2" Album Plasmic (PU)
7'0" Seaside and Beyond (EPS)
7'0" Sunday (EPS)
7'4" Smooth Operator (PU)
7'2" CI Mid (PU)
It looks to me like these boards are 70s boards with modern fin and construction technology.
Yup! It's interesting how twin fins become more popular now.
Mid Lengths are booming rn
Hey Henry! Seriously! It's crazy.. there is a Pyzel Mid Length Crisis model at my local surf shop. I'm tempted to get one to try it...
@@SkipperSurfReview I think the only sort of mid length that really appeals to me is a 70's style single fin, nice oldschool style. I just picked up a new shortboard from my shaper today, stoked to try it out!! Similar to the Rocket Wide Squash
@@henrywalton5967 I totally agree. The modern mid lengths are coming more maneuverable to meet people who doesn't wanna struggle on a shortboard in crowds. There are still certain cool mid lengths that have 70's style.
What's your shaper's name/model you went with?
@@SkipperSurfReview yeah definitely see why there's a market for them. His name is Luke Young and it's the Meteor model but with a Squash tale and no step. The original design looks awesome as well but thought I'd play it safe with a Squash as I'm not very familiar with swallow tales.
@@henrywalton5967 That looks nice! But for my backyard, I would love to have Xenon model!
It's not only the board that determines how it feels. A more competent surfer would give a totally different review. If you watch any of the Ombe surf lessons with Clayton, he explains how a too advanced board won't feel good to a beginner but as his skill level increases so does the preformance and feel of a board change! Therefore your reviews of these boards are more a reflection of your ability than the boards themselves.
Hi Michael,
I totally agree. My reviews are based on my level of surfing which is around intermediate level. However I do think the newest mid lengths "not all" have become more user friendly to allow beginners to progress quicker and move away from the foamies and bigger boards if they wish. I've been experiencing that in person by watching how my friend (~35 years old, 185 lbs ) progressed so quickly in surfing for the past year or so. He was a beginner who could catch waves on his own but was having issue with turns, couldn't pump down the line and didn't have a flow. Since he's been surfing the 7'0" Seaside and Beyond, he progressed so much and more important, he's got a flow and does turns pretty well. Cheers!
@Jack Pooley they will enjoy. In most cases it's really personal. Most boards are very enjoyable to ride however it all depends on the surfers. What they want from the boards, how spoiled they are, what mood.
Over time I get bored with performance mid lengths and just want to glide and cruise down the line which happens once a month or so. Some people just like straight hand shaped boards like the ones that come from Ryan Lovelace, for instance. Even some models are not user friendly, people appreciate craftsmanship more than anything. Cheers!
Try a jim banks ultra glide
Thank you, Kris! Just checked it out online. It looks very nice. Would love to try it for sure!
The Sunday was such a disappointment
Too fat...too much nose lift...a shame ❤the helium
Casually landed here as I am 30yo surfer in crisis 😂
Always used to ride shortboards, I end up with a longboard group and having a lot of fun because I surf x5 more waves and I can fairly cheat heavy crowded spots but I really miss manoeuvrability… what would you suggest? Seems S&B be the best option but maybe with that board I cannot fairly cheat crowded spot?😂 Do you think there is a mid length that can sit right with longboards line up but still maneuvers a lot?
I’m 5’8 180lbs for reference, really good shape and strength… need to find the right spot between size/volume…
Thank you!
That’s a tough one… you always have a trade off.. I couldn’t find any mid length board that would compete with the longboard.. they just glide so easy to get into the waves earlier. You can’t beat it. You can sit under them to catch the waves that they don’t go for or miss.. that’s my strategy when I surf in crowds with the longboarders. Seaside and Beyond is still one of the best mid lengths (LFT) construction, I also love Lovemachine ThickLizzy 7’10” which has some closer feel of a longboard, CI Tri Plane Hull Single has a nice glide or Mid Twin if you want to go faster. It depends on what waves you surf and mood. Haha.
Did they give you these boards? Brah support a local shaper
No, I’ve been buying them on my own. I recently got one Mini Simmons for review from Arc surfboards out of New England. The board is sick. Will upload review in the next month or so.
@@SkipperSurfReview that's my point. I get that there's a lot of hype around these brands, and that makes for more clicks, but it would be cool to see you give a lesser known shaper/builder some shine and turn people onto the idea that there are other options out there and a much more fulfilling experience (custom board from someone in your community). I think too many people believe that only the CI Mid (for example) is a good board and ordering one online is a good idea after watching a couple youtube videos.
Thanks but the last time I was 70kg I was aged 12. You're pretty much demo-ing mids for teenagers or Asian/Indonesian type surfers. Also you're riding what sort of looks like 'Trestles' or similar, where any board will perform.
Well, my backyard is not even close to even 1 ft onshore Trestles.. ))
not true. most of the surfers around me are beteren 70 to 80 kilos (including me), and white, and in their 20/30/40's
Definitely just review the companies that fought midlengths tooth and nail and only recently gave in. Ignore Ryan Lovlace.
What's up with Ryan Lovelace?
Harley Ingelby Moe 7’2. Don’t buy it, come to RI and try mine!
Harley’s Mid 6 looks amazing too. 7’0 37 L
Awesome. I will take u up on this offer :) Please HMU on IG to meet up for a sesh. May be I will have Mid6 by then!
Hey Michael, how does the Moe grovel? I've only really seen it in clean stuff and then sloppy Hawaiian surf (which still has a lot of push). Thanks man!
Great reviews but i think the seaside and beyond looks ugly side on , too much volume in the nose , though it does surf really well almost shortboard like .But the smooth operator shouldnt be oversized unless your a beginer , smooth operator will do it all and feels like a true midlengh .
,
Hey John! Thank you for the feedback.
Shape up or ship out surfs crowded enough without getting bigger boards to catch more waves in already crowded line ups